Starc 'releases handbrake' as rhythm returns in Shield hunt

Mitchell Starc says he wants to play every possible Marsh Sheffield Shield match for NSW at the back end of a long season, putting red-ball cricket ahead of the Marsh One-Day competition.

Starc is yet to play a domestic one-day match this season as he manages "a few little things" with his fitness, but could feature if NSW make the final after the state's stars bound for the Indian Premier League depart on April 1.

But Starc, whose season has stretched from Australia's tour of the UK last August for limited-overs matches, says a maiden Shield final was his priority.

"I haven't played in a Shield final yet, I'd love to help the boys get there and take part and hopefully be a part of the group to win the Shield," Starc said after taking three wickets on the first day of NSW's Shield clash with Tasmania in Hobart.

"That was my first intention. I've played three formats for a long time, and I find my game plan doesn't change too much across the formats but still, Shield and Test match cricket is the pinnacle for me."

Starc opted out of playing in the IPL this year – he hasn't played in the tournament since the 2015 season – but the NSW Blues will see bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, allrounder Moises Henriques and batters Steve Smith and David Warner all depart for India next month.

"I wanted to play as much Shield cricket as I could," Starc said.

"Managing a few little things with the body and wanting to play as much red ball cricket as I could with certain guys heading off to the IPL, it was my intention to be the constant in the Shield team and hopefully play role there as a senior head in the team.

"It has been a gruelling summer for most people, whether you've been in different hubs and bubbles or started back in August, everyone's doing the best they can."

Starc's 3-65 from 23 overs yesterday, after NSW won the toss and opted to bowl, was his best return since taking 3-78 in India's first innings of the Boxing Day Test.

Tasmania finished day one at 7-258, with Test skipper Tim Paine unbeaten on 61. If Starc were to collect two more wickets on day two, it would be his first five wicket haul in first-class cricket since his 5-52 against New Zealand in the Perth day-night Tests in December 2019.

That was a second successive five-wicket haul with the pink ball, following 6-66 against Pakistan in Adelaide the previous Test, while his last bag with a red ball came against Tasmania in October 2019 with match-winning hauls of 5-20 and 5-98 at Drummoyne.

Starc had come under fire from some quarters for his efforts in the final two Tests of India's 2-1 series win this summer, but was able to "let the handbrake off" and find rhythm in Saturday's second session.

"It's the end of March, so the body is what it is, you manage certain things," Starc said.

"It was nice to find a bit of rhythm there and take the handbrake off a little bit and just try and get into a rhythm of bowling fast and try and be aggressive.

"Having that little bit of extra air speed is something I like to use to my advantage, today I got a bit of that in a few spells."